DictionaryAI

abyss

noun
uh-BIS/əˈbɪs/

Pluralabysses

8 meanings of abyss

Practice

  1. 1
    deep empty spacenouncountable
    A hole or drop so deep that it seems to have no bottom, or any huge empty space.

    The climbers looked down into the abyss below the cliff.

    The light from his flashlight disappeared into the black abyss of the cave.

    UsagePeople say fall or look into the abyss.

    Similarchasm, gulf, void, pit

    Note
  2. 2
    coming disasternouncountable
    A very bad disaster that is about to happen.

    The country was close to the abyss when the banks began to fail.

    Both leaders stepped back from the abyss and agreed to talk.

    UsageSay the edge of the abyss: very close to disaster.

    Similarcatastrophe, disaster, precipice

    Note
  3. 3
    endless amountnouncountable
    Something with no end, too big to measure, or very deep.

    Looking at the night sky, he thought about the abyss of time before people lived on Earth.

    After her dog died, she was lost in an abyss of sadness.

    Similardepths

  4. 4
    nouncountable
    Hell or a pit with no bottom, the disorder before the world began, or a sea under the earth.

    In the story, the demon was thrown back into the abyss.

    The old myth says the world was made out of the dark abyss.

    Similarhell, pit, underworld

    Note
  5. 5
    nouncountable
    Very deep evil, or a very great depth of thought or moral feeling.

    After losing his job, he fell into an abyss of drinking and crime.

    The book shows the abyss of cruelty that war can bring out in people.

    UsageSay the abyss of something: the abyss of crime.

    Similardepths

    Note
  6. 6
    big differencenounfigurativelycountable
    A difference between groups, often a very big one.

    There is a deep abyss between the rich and the poor in that city.

    The argument opened an abyss between the two families.

    Similargulf

  7. 7
    nouncountable
    The very deep part of the ocean, far below the surface.

    Strange fish with glowing lights live in the abyss.

    The small robot took hours to dive from the ocean surface down to the abyss.

    Similardepths

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 8
    noun
    The middle point of the shield on a coat of arms.

Practice

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Origin

From Greek, through Latin, from a word meaning "bottomless".

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts